


Growing and Changing

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Humor, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-22
Updated: 2008-11-22
Packaged: 2019-05-30 09:57:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15094361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Josh grows a moustache much to Donna's horror





	Growing and Changing

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

  
Author's notes: A/N: Real life provides inspiration in the strangest ways...  


* * *

Donna enjoyed the peace while it lasted. The president had been on a week long visit to Europe, participating in important trade talks with the leaders of Britain, France, Germany as well as the President of the EU. Most of the senior staff had accompanied Bartlet while the assistants stayed behind. It was only in the wee small hours of the morning that Donna would admit she missed Josh. To all the other assistants she maintained the façade of being relieved he was away and that she wasn’t being interrupted every ten minutes. The last part may have had a degree of truth to it. She was getting through a lot of work, the phone didn’t ring as much, she got a proper lunch break and Josh wasn’t forever appearing by her desk to ask her something. But she had missed him and would be pleased to see him when they got back in an hour. 

She walked towards his office, carrying a pile of folders that would be requiring his attention. She’d colour coded them according the their urgency. Just as she went to open the door, it swung open revealing a rather dishevelled Josh.

Donna jumped back, startled, dropping several folders in the process. “Josh, for God’s sake, frighten a girl, why don’t you? You couldn’t, I don’t know, ring a bell to let me know you’re about to come out of your office?” Donna spoke impatiently.

Josh looked at her, bewildered. “What are you talking about? The plane got in a bit early so I came straight here.”

Donna had bent down to pick up the folders but continued talking. “You’re not due back for an hour and,” she looked up at Josh. “What the hell is that?”

Donna slowly rose up to face Josh. She peered intently at his face. “Again, what is that?” she pointed to his face.

Josh looked momentarily confused and then he remembered. “I thought I’d grow a moustache. It might make me look less…um…boyish,” Josh said quietly.

“Less boyish?”

“Yeah, I don’t think it helps my credibility on the Hill when I have this boyish charm thing happening.”

“Who told you about the boyish charm thing?” she asked.

”My fan club sent me an email once!”

“Well, I like the boyish thing you’ve got happening there,” Donna admitted.

“You do?”

“Yes,” Donna realised her tactical error. She would never hear the end of this.

“So do you like it?”

Donna stood back to get the overall effect. “There’s not very much of it,” she stated.

Josh rose to the bait. “Hey, it’s only a few days growth. I can grow facial hair. It’s a sign of virility, you know?” he defended himself.

Donna had to hide her smile. He really was easy to wind up. But the thought of his virility made her flush and she bent back down to collect the remaining papers.

“So do you like it?” he asked.

“No,” was her one word reply.

“No?” Josh queried.

“No. You don’t need face fungus. It detracts from one of your better features.”

This was getting interesting. They didn’t often engage in such personal chatter.

Josh leaned a little closer, invading her personal space. But she didn’t pull away. Oddly, he was one of the few people she could tolerate being so close to her. 

“And which feature are you referring to Donnatella?”

Oh God, he was bringing the full name. Be strong, she told herself.

“Your dimples,” she smiled at him as she walked off.

“So that would be a no for the moustache?”

“That would be a no,” she answered and returned to her work.

The next day she met Josh at the entrance to the White House. He held the gate open for her and they went inside. She finally got a good look at him. The moustache was gone!

“Josh, what happened to the moustache?”

“You didn’t like it,” was his simple response.

“Yes, but you wanted one. You didn’t have to shave it off just because I didn’t like it,” Donna was amazed.

“Yes I did. Simple. You didn’t like it, it’s gone. Besides you like what the moustache was attempting to cover up. So it’s gone.”

Donna had stopped in amazement, stunned that she had this kind of power over him. He turned and gave a full smile, dimples and all. Donna was speechless. The power of the dimples and his boyish charm had robbed her of speech. But she smiled back and they continued on their way. It was just another day at the White House but both knew something had been silently said by this exchange. Neither was in a place right now to examine things but they both knew that one day they would revisit the day that Josh shaved off his moustache for the simple reason that Donna didn’t like it!


End file.
